UNDERWATER MUSEUM OF ART

The art of conservation

In 2009 a monumental underwater contemporary museum of art called MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) was formed in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc.

This project was founded by Roberto Díaz Abraham, former President of the Cancun Nautical Association and Jaime González Cano, Director of the National Marine Park.

To begin with this unique museum, they hired English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. Today, MUSA consists of over 500 permanent life-sized and monumental sculptures and is one of the largest and most ambitious underwater artificial art attractions in the world.

The Museum aims to demonstrate the interaction between art and environmental science and form part of a complex reef structure for marine life to colonize and inhabit whilst increasing biomass on a grand scale. All of the sculptures are fixed to the seabed and made from specialized materials used to promote coral life. The total installations occupy an area of over 420sq meters of barren substrate and weighing in at over 200 tons.

How can you visit the Underwater Museum of Art?

Glass Bottom Boat

This unique excursion offers a view of the ocean like you’ve never seen before! A perfect activity for all ages, you’ll be able to view the depths of the ocean without getting wet at all.

Get ready to explore the underwater life of Cancun or Cozumel through this enclosed crystal structure as it navigates through two of the most beautiful underwater sights in Yucatan Peninsula.

Scuba Diving

Diving in Cancun is probably one of the most popular activities to do when you’re on vacation.

You can take a few certifications to enhance your experience or simply enjoy the shallow waters that surround many of the most beautiful locations to dive in the Caribbean! Make it a one tank or a two tank expedition; you’ll be thrilled by the beauty that resides inside the crystal clear warm waters of the Caribbean.

Jungle Tour

This tour is the most famous when it comes to snorkeling in Cancun! You’ll be following your guide through the stunning Nichupté Lagoon aboard your very own 2 person swift boat.

Sit down and navigate through the lagoons pathways while you appreciate the natural beauty of this place. Emerge from the jungle mangroves and into Punta Nizuc, where you’ll be able to snorkel in the world’s second largest coral reef.

Snorkeling in MUSA

This is an adventure that will leave you breathless! Take a swim in these worldly known waters and explore over 500 statues and the life they’ve bred along the coral reefs that have formed this artistic reef that balances art and nature in the most elegant and visually attractive way.

This is a top pick for every adventurer that visits Cancun!

VISITING MUSA IN CANCUN OR ISLA MUJERES

The Cancun-Isla Mujeres Marine Park is one of the most visited stretches of water in the world with over 750,000 visitors each year, placing immense pressure on its resources. The location of the sculptures promotes the recovery of the natural reefs as it relieves pressure on them by drawing visitors away to an alternative site.

Over the past few years the Museum has also received worldwide acclaim and generated millions of dollars in advertising to the region through its extensive media coverage. The layout is divided into two galleries called Salon Manchones and Salon Nizuc. The first is eight meters deep and suitable for both divers and snorkelers and the second four meters deep and only permitted for snorkeling.

SALON MANCHONES

The best way to visit the sculptures in Salon Manchones is scuba diving, since the sculptures are located 8 meters deep.

SALON NIZUC

There are 3 ways to visit the sculptures in Salon Nizuc and spot different sculptures: you can snorkel, take the tour in the glass bottom or the jungle tour. The depth of this area is 4 meters so no scuba diving is allowed.

The best way to visit the underwater sculptures in Punta Sam is snorkeling, since they are located 3.5 meters deep. You will only need the visor, a pair of fins and the snorkel!

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What people say about MUSA?

The museum comprises more than 400 original sculptures, which also serve as artificial reefs. Many are of human figures, making the ocean floor resemble some beautifully spooky lost world, its inhabitants frozen in space and time.

CNN Travel

What people say about MUSA?

The MUSA collection includes hundreds of life-sized concrete figures and it’s all part of a conservation effort to draw people away from damaged coral reef areas.